Read Online Dark as Night by Katherine Pathak - Free Book Online

getting a cordon rigged up.’
     
     

Chapter 11
     
     
    ‘W ell, it certainly wasn’t suicide,’ Andy stated sagely, as they supped their pints in the newly refurbished pub across the road from headquarters.
                  ‘We won’t get the PM results back until tomorrow.’ Dani lifted her glass of white wine and took a mouthful.
                  ‘But we’re sure it’s Nathan McLaren?’ Phil enquired.
                  ‘Yup,’ Andy supplied. ‘His face was badly bloated and there was some decomposition evident, but it was obviously him.’
                  ‘I’m not going to inform the family officially until I’ve got confirmation from the pathologist. I’ve told Jenny we’ve found a body, of course, and that she should prepare herself for the worst.’
                  ‘The McLarens are going to have a bloody awful night then.’ Phil whistled through his teeth.
                  ‘Yes,’ Dani said carefully, placing her glass down on the table. ‘But it would be far worse for her to have seen him in that condition. The corpse looked grotesque. He’d obviously been in the water since Saturday night. I’m not an expert, but from what we saw, the man had been badly beaten about the face and torso.’
                  ‘At least we’ll get a decent budget from the DCS now.’ Andy polished off his pint.
                  Dani shot him a disapproving glance.
                  ‘I only meant that it will become a full-blown murder investigation and not remain a missing persons’ case that gets forgotten in a few weeks.’
                  ‘We’ll need to get the names of every jogger, dog-walker, courting couple and flasher who was roaming around the Balgray Country Park on Saturday evening. Christ, it’ll be one hell of a job.’
                  ‘The question is – did he meet his murderer there, or did this person drive Nathan McLaren to Balgray?’ Phil looked at each of his colleagues in turn.
                  ‘I doubt the car park’s got CCTV,’ Andy chipped in. ‘It’s just a gravelled area scooped out of the scrubland.’
                  Phil rose from his stool. ‘Another?’
                  Unexpectedly, Andy shook his head. ‘No thanks, Pal. I need to head off.’
                  ‘Thanks for the offer, Phil, but I’ll have to be making tracks myself, tomorrow is going to be a tough day.’ Dani turned to Calder. ‘Can you give me a lift? I’ve put my wee car into the shop.’
                  Andy shifted awkwardly in his seat. ‘Actually, I’ve got an errand to run on the way home, I really can’t.’
                  Dani couldn’t hide her surprise. She’d banked on Calder going her way. He always had to get straight home for Carol and Amy. It hadn’t crossed her mind she’d end up stranded.
                  ‘If no one’s staying for another bevvy then I’ll drive you, Ma’am,’ Phil said matter-of-factly.
                  ‘But it’s out of your way,’ Dani argued.
                  ‘The girls are with Jane tonight. It’s really not a problem.’
                  Bevan thought she noticed Andy’s cheeks redden, although she quickly dismissed this idea. He wasn’t the type.
                  ‘I’ll see you bright and early,’ he muttered, grabbing his jacket and swiftly exiting the pub.
                  Phil raised his eyebrows as Calder allowed the glass panelled door to bang shut behind him. ‘I wonder where he’s off to in such a hurry.’
                  ‘Aye,’ said Dani, swigging back the final dregs of wine. ‘Where indeed.’
     
    *
                               
    Bevan noticed that her team had a different air about them today. The fact